Brassiere supporting frames



A ril 16, 1968 H. L. SCHWARTZ BRASSIERE SUPPORTING FRAMES Fi1ed March 29, 1966 INVENTOR. HERBERT L. SCHWARTZ ATTORNE Y United States Patent Oifice 3,378,912 Patented Apr. 16, 1968 3,378,012 BRASSERE SUPPDRING FRAMES Herbert L. Schwartz, Kew Garden Hills, N.Y., assigner to S & S Industries Inc., NeW York, N.Y., a corporation et New York Filed Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 538,314 5 Claims. (Cl. 128476) This invention relates generally t0 brassieres, and more particularly is directed to improved supporting trame assemblies for brassieres.

It has been previously proposed to provide brassieres having a pair of spaced breastreceiving cups or pockets with arcuate, generally Ushaped supporting trames which extend along the side and bottom peripheral portions of the cups. Originally, the supporting trames were formed of wire having a round cross-section, but it was found that, if the round crosssection was of suitable diameter to sufiiciently resist relative movement of the ends of the trame toward and away from each other and thus provide adequate support, the resistance to flexing of the arcuate trame out of its normal fiat plane so as to contorm to the contours of the Wearers body Was too great, and hence resulted in discomtort to the wearer. Accordingly, it Was proposed, for example, in US. Patent No. 2,705,- 800 and in US. Patent No. 2,746,052, respectively, issued Apr. 12, 1955, and May 22, 1956, to Marcus Schwartz, to form each brassiere trame with a substantially rectangular cross-section having its longer dimension extending radially with respect to the curvature of the trame and thereby having a far greater degree of lateral flexibility than a round wire of the same cross-sectional area, while presenting at least as much resistance to movement of the ends of the trame toward and away trom other as such round Wire of equal cross-sectional area. It has been the usual practice, with brassiere trames of either round or rectangular cross-section, to secure each trame to the body of the brassiere along the entire length of the trame, for example, by closely enclosing the frame in an arcuate tube provided by a length of tape which extends along the periphery of the breast-receiving cup and is stitched to the tabric body of the brassiere along both longitudinal edges of the tape and at the ends thereot. Even when the brassiere trame is of rectangular crosssection, the described attachment of the frame along its entire length to the tabric body of the brassiere detracts from the comtort of the wearer. Further, it has been tound that such attachment of the brassiere trame along its entire length to the fabric body of the brassiere is not essential to the performance by the frame of its intended tunction.

In U.S. Patent No. 2,967,527, issued 1' an. 10, 1961, to Alfred E. Maas, it has been proposed to provide a brassiere with an inner front panel having arcuate, mutually spaced margins located above its base line and to which the usual breast cups are connected, body encircling bands or panels extending from the opposite sides of the inner front panel, and an enter front panel having upper mutually spaced, arcuate margins conforming to the arcuate margins of the inner front panel and each having an arcuate brassiere trame secured thereto along the entire length of the trame, with the outer and inner front panels being secured to each other at the connections of the body encircling bauds or panels to the inner front panel, along the base areas of the inner and outer front panels, and also possibly at the apex of the two front panels defined between their spaced arcuate margins. The attachment of the inner and outer panels to each otber along their base areas restricts the action of each arcuate trame with respect to the respective breast cup, and the described arrangement is inherently costly in that it involves a double tabric construction at the front of the brassiere. It has also been found that the arrangement disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,967,527, inadequately positions the brassiere trames relative to the respective cups, particularly at the ends of the trames, and thereby tails to ensure the satisfactory performance by the trames of their intended tunction of maintaining the desired con figuration of the breast cups by establishing a substantially invariable distance across each cup between the ends of the respective trame.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved arrangement for mounting an arcuate brassiere trame with respect to the related breast cup of the tabric body of a brassiere, which arrangement can be embodied in brassieres of various types and constructions without substantially increasing the cost thereot, and which further aftords as heretotore unattainable degrec et comtort to the wearer.

Another object is to provide an arrangement for mounting brassiere trames so that the same are free to fioat or fiex independently of the fabric body of the brassiere for aifording increased comtort to the wearer without detracting from the performance by the trames of their intended tunction ot supporting and maintaining the desired configuration of the breast-receiving cups.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a bras siere including a front panel having a pair of forwardly projecting, spaced breast-receiving cups, and body encircling panels extending from the opposite sides of the front panel, is provided with an arcuate, generally U- shaped, supporting trame for each cup, which trame extends along the side and bottom peripheral portions of the respective cup in back of the front panel, that is, at the side of the front panel facing the wearers body, and is secured with respect to the front panel only adjacent the end portions et the frame so that, intermediate the end portions of the frame, the latter is free to flex and contorm to the contours of the wearers body independent of the brassiere.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each arcuate trame is enclosed in a flexible envelope, for example, formed of a tabric with a plush surface and having an internal tube closely receiving the frame and extending along a similarly arcuate edge of the envelope, and stitching is passed through the envelope, for example, through fiank portions of the envelope extending laterally outward from the end portions of the arcuate edge of the envelope, with such stitching exclusively attaching the envelope to the front panel of the brassiere.

The above, and other -objects, features and advantages et this invention, Will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a brassiere having trames secured with respect thereto in accordance with this invention, and which is viewed from the back or inner side thereof and shown with the body encircling bands or panels et the brassiere in open position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged view of 3 portion of the brassiere shown on FIG. 1, and with the means for securing one of the trames with respect to the fabric body of the brassiere being shown broken away so as to expose the frame therein;

FIG. 3 is a turther enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 on FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of one of the brassiere trames.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and initially to FG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a brassiere 10 adapted to be provided with brassiere trames in accordance with this invention may be of any conventional type, either strapless or with shoulder straps, as shown, and generally includes a central front panel 11 having a pair of forwardly projecting, laterally spaced breast-receiving cups 12. The brassiere 10 is further shown to include the usual body encircling bands or panels 13a and 13]) extending from the opposite sides of front panel 11 and respectively carrying hooksand eyes 1412 and 14b or other conventional fastening means, at their free ends, by which the latter can be secured together in back of the Wearer for holding the brassere in position on the wearers body. The brassiere 10 may further have adjustable shoulder straps 15 which extend upwardly from cups 12 and are secured to panels 13a and 13b adjacent the free ends of the latter.

In accordance with this invention, a supporting frame 16 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is provided for each breast cup 12, and each frame 16 is disposed in back of front panel 11, that is, at the inside of the latter, and secured With respect to the front panel only adjacent the ends of the frame. Each of the supporting frames 16 is preferably of the type disclosed in US. Patent No. 2,705,800 or No. 2,746,052, identified more fully above, and thus is of arcuate, generally Ushaped configuration (FIG. 4) so as to extend along the side and bottom peripheral portions of the respective cup 12, and has a rectangular cross-section, as shown on FIG. 3, With the longer dimension of such cross-section extending radially of the urvature of the frame. By reason of such rectangular cross-section of the frame 16, the lateral fiexibity of the frame, that is, its ability to flex out of its normal fiat plane, is far greater than its extensibility or toleraon of changes in the distance D (FIG. 4) between the ends of the frame.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention which is illustrated, each frame 16 is enclosed in a flexible envelope 17, for example, of a fabric having a plush surface so as to constitute a cushioning pad for the respective frame. The envelope 17 is shown to have an arcuate edge 13 (FIG. 2) generally conforming to the curvature of the arcuate frame 16 and along which an internal tube 19 (FIGS. 2 and 3) extends to closely receive frame 16. Envelope 17 further has upper edges 20 (FIG. 2) dirccted laterally outward from the upper ends of arcuate edge 18, and outer edges 21 which extend downwardly from upper edges 20 at the opposite sides of the envelope and which diverge downwardly with respect to the adjacent side portiens of the frame 16 received in tube 19. It will be apparent that the edges 20 and 21 of envelope 17 define fiank portions 22 extending laterally outward from the end portions of arcuate edge 18 and also from the frame 16 contained in the envelope so that stitching can pass through such flank portions 22 for securing the frame to front panel 11 of the brassiere only adjacent the ends of the frame.

As particularly shown on FIG. 2, the stitching for attaching each envelope 17 to front panel 11 of the brassiere preferably extends along only the upper edges 20, as at 23, and only along the upper portions of outer edges 21, as at 24, so that envelope 17 is free of the brassiere along its arcuate edge 18, along its lower or base edge 25, and also along the lower portions of its outer edges 21. Thus, only the ends of each frame 16 are secured with respect to front panel 11 of the brassere, and each frame is free, intermediate its end portions, to flex and conform to the contours of the wearers body independent of the brassiere. However, since the ends of each frame 16 are secured or anchored With respect to front panel 11 at the opposite sides of the respective breast cup 12, and since the frame 16 is interposed betwcen front panel 11 and the wearers body, such frame is fully operative to perform its intended function of preventing undue changes in the distance across the respective cup 12 between the ends of the frame, and further in maintaining the desired elevated position of the upper edge of the breast cup to which the ends of the frame are adjacent. In such connection, the stitching 23 and 24 securing each envelope 17 to front panel 11 adjacent the ends of the frame 16 contained in the envelope fonction as pie-r for the ends of the frame which is in the form of 211 inverted arch. Since each frame 16 is completely free of front panel 11 intermediate the ends of the frame, there is no possibility that distortions of the shape of front panel 11 resulting from movements of the wearers body will impose strains on the frame 16 of a nature to cause the frame to flex inwardly against the wearers body and thereby exert an uncornf0rtable pressure, as does occur when the frame is secured along its entire length of the fabric body of the brassere.

Since each of the supporting frames 16 is contained in an individual envelope 17 for attachment to panel 11 only adjacent the ends of the frame, it will be apparent that the envelopes 17 containing the supporting frames may also be utilized in brassieres of the front-closure type, that is, brassieres in which the front panel is formed of two portions releasably secured together by suitable fastening means positi0ned between the breast cups 12. Further, since the envelopes 17 are secured to the front panel of the brassiere only along the relatively short upper edges 20 and the upper portions of the outer edges 21, the inclusion of the frame containing envelopes 17 does not restrict the design of the brassiere.

As shown particularly on FIG. 3, each envelope 17 may be conveniently formed of two suitably shaped fabric blanks 26 having arcuate edges corresponding to the arcuate edge 18 and which are initially secured together, as by stitching 27, between longitudinal edges of two elongated tapes or strips 28 destined to form tube 19. Following the application of stitching 27 to secure strips 28 along one of their longitudinal edges With the arcuate edges of blanks 26 therebetween, strips 28 are reverted and have their opposite longitudinal edges secured together by stitching 29 so as to define the tube 19 for receiving frame 16. Finally, blanks 26 are reverted or folded over the tube 19 containing frame 16, and the adjacent edges of blanks 26 are then secured together by a continuous seam or stitching 30 (FIGS. 2 and 3) extending along the upper edges 20, the outer edges 21 and the base edge 25 of the resultng envelope 17.

In forming the envelope 17, as described above, the strips 28 which form tube 19 may be of the same fabric as the blanks 26, that is, of a fabric having a plush surface, or of a different fabric or flexible sheet material.

It will be seen that, in accordance with this invention, the frames 16 are secured with respect to the front panel 11 of a brassere in a manner to permit floating of the frames relative to the brassiere between the end portions of the frames which are secured or anchored With respect to the brassiere so as to ensure the performance of the intended function of the.frames While afiordiug the maximum comfort to the wearer, and further that the described advantages are achieved without unduly increasing the cost of the brassiere or limiting the design thereof.

Although the illustrative embodiment of the invention described in detail heren With reference to the accompanying drawing employs frames 16 formed of steel and having rectangular cross-sections, it is apparent that other frames may be used, for example, formed of a resilient, relatively n'gid plastic and/or having circular or other cross-sectional shapes. Further, the attachment of each frame to the front panel of the brassiere only 'adjacent the ends of the frame may be efected by means other than that specifically described, for example, 'by providing frames of plastic having portions adjacent their ends which can be sewn through for eirecting the desired attachment. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiment illustrated in the drawing, and that various changes and modifications, including those indicated above, may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a brassiere including a front panel having a pair of forwardly projecting, spaced breastreceiving cups, and body encircling panels extending from the opposite sides of said front panel; a fabric enveiope for each of said cups having an arcuate, generally U-shaped edge extending along the side and bottom peripheral portions of the respective caps With an internal tube extending along said edge, an arcuate generally U-shaped supporting frame closely received in said tube of each envelope, each said envelope further including flank portions extending laterally outwardly from end porions of said arcuate edge, and stitching extending through said flank portions along upper and outer edges thereof and through said front panel so that, intermediate said and portions, the frame is free to flex and conform to the contours of the wearers body independent of said brassiere.

2. The combination as in claim 1; Wherein each said arcuate frame is of rectangular cross-section having its longer dimension extending radially of the curve of the arcuate frame and has a greater degree of lateral flexibility than extensibility in the direction for spreading apart said ends of the frame.

3. The combinaion as in claim 2; wherein each said frame is of hypereutectoid steel.

4. The assembly of an arcuate, generally Ushaped brassiere frame, and a fabric envelope having an arcuate, generally U-shaped edge With an internal tube extending along said edge and closely receiving said frame, said envelope including flank portions extending laterally outwardly from and portions of said arcuate edge and being adapted to be stitched through along upper and outer edges of said flank portions for securing the frame to a brassiere only adjacent the ends of the frame.

5. The combination as in claim 4; wherein said arcuate frame is of rectangular cross-section having its longer dimension extending radially of the curve of the frame and has a greater degree of lateral flexibility than extensibility in the direction for spreading apart said ends of the frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,613,365 10/1952 Fairbanks et al. l28473 2,705,800 4/1955 Schwartz 128476 2,746,052 5/1956 Schwartz 128476 2,967,527 1/1961 Maas 128465 3,252,460 5/1966 Lances 128473 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A BRASSIER INCLUDING A FRONT PANEL HAVING A PAIR OF FORWARDLY PROJECTING, SPACED BREASTRECEIVING CUPS, AND BODY ENCIRCLING PANELS EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID FRONT PANEL; A FABRIC ENVELOPE FOR EACH OF SAID CUPS HAVING AN ARCUATE, GENERALLY U-SHAPED EDGE EXTENDING ALONG THE SIDE AND BOTTOM PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF THE RESPECTIVE CUPS WITH AN INTERNAL TUBE EXTENDING ALONG SAID EDGE, AN ARCUATE GENERALLY U-SHAPED SUPPORTING FRAME CLOSELY RECEIVED IN SAID TUBE OF EACH ENVELOPE, EACH SAID ENVELOPE FURTHER INCLUDING FLANK PORTIONS EXTENDING LATERALLY OUTWARDLY FROM END PORTIONS OF SAID ARCUATE EDGE, AND STITCHING EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FLANK PORTIONS ALONG UPPER AND OUTER EDGES THEREOF AND THROUGH SAID FRONT PANEL SO THAT, INTERMEDIATE SAID END PORTIONS, THE FRAME IS FREE TO FLEX AND CONFORM TO THE CONTOURS OF THE WEARER''S BODY INDEPENDENT OF SAID BRASSIERE. 